U.S. Access Board to Host Public Briefing on Study on the Feasibility of Wheelchair Securement Systems in Passenger Aircraft

The inability to use one’s wheelchair on airplanes makes air travel very difficult, if not impossible, for many people with disabilities. Among other challenges, it requires multiple transfers between boarding chairs and aircraft seats, posing injury risks. To address these challenges, the U.S. Access Board commissioned a study to assess the feasibility of equipping aircraft with securement systems so that passengers can remain in their wheelchairs on flights. The Transportation Research Board (TRB), of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, will release its final report mid-September. The U.S. Access Board will host a public briefing on the final report on September 22 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. (ET). The briefing will feature a presentation by the TRB Study Committee Members, including Committee Chair Dr. Alan M. Jette, on the two-year research study that focused on the design, engineering, and safety requirements for equipping aircraft with securement systems for wheelchairs. The event is free, but registration is required. Members of the public will be able to pose questions during the event.

For further information on registration, visit the Access Board’s website or contact Rose Marie Bunales at events@access-board.gov. Note that the briefing will include video remote interpreting (VRI) and real-time captioning.

Visit TRB’s website for further information on the project.

Public Briefing on Wheelchair Securement Systems on Aircraft
September 22, 2021, 1:00 – 3:00 pm (ET)
Registration required (free): www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/
Contact: Rose Marie Bunales at events@access-board.gov

Agenda

• Welcome, Greg Fehribach, U.S. Access Board Chair
• Briefing
  • Dr. Alan M. Jette, TRB Study Committee Chair, Professor and Dean Emeritus of Boston University
  • Gary Weissel, TRB Study Committee Member, Founder and Managing Officer of Tronos Aviation Consulting
  • Naomi Armenta, TRB Study Committee Member, Principal Planner of Nelson Nygaard
  • Miriam Manary, TRB Study Committee Member, Lead Research Engineer of University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)
• Questions and Answers

Following the briefing will be a short break and then the regular Access Board business meeting, which is open for the public to attend.